AEW Issues Apology on Behalf of Cody Rhodes for Taking Part in Derogatory Chant at AAA TripleMania XXVII

– In a statement to SB Nation’s Out Sports, an AEW spokesperson issued an apology and explanation after Cody Rhodes took part in a chant using the word “puto” at AAA TripleMania XVII in Mexico City last month. Cody Rhodes teamed with AAA veteran Psycho Clown and former UFC champion Cain Velasquez at the event. During the event, Rhodes, Psycho Clown, and Velazquez led the crowd in a “puto” chant after their match concluded.

The chant is criticized and seen as problematic because it’s seen as derogatory and homophobic. Additionally, other athletic bodies have created strict guidelines to prohibit use of these types of chants, including suspending soccer matches in France and Brazil under updated FIFA guidelines after fans used such chants. Per the report, the chant has a long and storied history in Mexican sports, and many fines were issued by FIFA for Mexican soccer matches due to its use.

According to Out Sports, Psycho Clown regularly uses the chant during his matches and AAA events. Also, Pentagon Jr. was heard yelling the term during the ladder match at AEW All Out, where he teamed with Rey Fenix against The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson). Per the official statement from AEW:

Cody joined his teammates at AAA TripleMania for what he understood to be their post-match tradition in Mexico and was unaware of any negative connotations. Certainly the last thing Cody would want to do is to hurt or offend anyone, anywhere.

Cody Rhodes is both a wrestler and the Executive Vice President of AEW. According to the spokesperson, Rhodes did not realize the chant had a “negative connotation,” and he believed he was taking part in a “post-match tradition in Mexico.”

You can see the chant that’s received criticism in the Road to AEW All Out Episode 04 video. It takes place at around the 58-second mark.